Minneapolis Park Board: New faces coming

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Member Steffanie Musich held on to her South Side seat. Community activist Kale Severson won a seat on the North Side.

November 8, 2017 at 12:45PM

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Member Steffanie Musich held on to her seat Tuesday while community activist Kale Severson won a seat on the North Side.

With only three of nine incumbents on the ballot this year, the Park Board will see heavy turnover no matter how the rest of the votes fall. There were no immediate winners for three at-large seats or the four remaining district seats. The city will tabulate second and third rounds of the ranked-choice voting system Wednesday.

"I'm so excited that the North Side chose a progressive person who's committed to make things better in our parks," Severson said after declaring victory. "We have to diversify the Park Board's workforce and start hiring more North Siders."

In all, 26 candidates ran for nine Park Board seats. The board oversees 6,804 acres of land and an annual budget of more than $111 million.

Board Members Meg Forney, Musich and Brad Bourn were the only incumbents seeking re-election. Forney along with challengers Latrisha Vetaw and Londel French were leading in first-round votes in the at-large race.

Results were uncertain in four district seats. Challenger Chris Meyer was leading for an East Side seat, Abdikadir "AK" Hassan had the most first-choice votes in a district south of downtown, and Jono Cowgill and Tom Nordyke were nearly tied for a Chain of Lakes-area seat.

Bourn, a DFL-endorsed candidate, appeared on track to retain his southwest seat.

about the writer

Faiza Mahamud

Reporter

Faiza Mahamud covers Minneapolis for the Star Tribune. She has previously covered education, immigrant communities, city government and neighborhoods. 

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